The Home Office has announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola and Namibia have agreed to cooperate with the UK on the returns of foreign national offenders, failed asylum seekers and visa overstayers. The agreements follow threats by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to impose visa penalties on the three African countries.
According to the Home Office, the DRC agreed to cooperate after Ms Mahmood stripped VIPs and decision-makers of preferential visa treatment and revoked fast-track visas for DRC nationals. Namibia and Angola complied before visa penalties could be implemented. The government estimates that more than 3,000 nationals from these countries could now be removed from the UK.
Ms Mahmood said: “If foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens, then they will face consequences. Illegal migrants and dangerous criminals will now be removed and deported back to Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
The Home Office reported that 58,500 foreign criminals and migrants with no right to be in the UK have been removed or deported since Labour entered government in 2024. The announcement comes as Ms Mahmood prepares to introduce changes to permanent settlement rules, including a 10-year wait for indefinite leave to remain, a 15-year baseline for care workers, and a 20-year wait for refugees.
The proposals, due to be implemented in April, have faced criticism from Labour backbenchers who called them “the height of unfairness” and “un-British”. Defending the changes, Ms Mahmood told the Home Affairs Select Committee that she was acting to deal with “unprecedented” migration levels.
